Chapter 9 Reflections

This week I worked on creating a newsletter.  We used Microsoft Publisher to create the newsletter.  Publisher had templates that I could choose from that set up a newsletter format.  I then went in and change the text to what I wanted to say.  I was also able to go in and put in different clip art.  The newsletter was set up as if I was sending it to my students and their families over the summer before my first year of teaching.

One of the standards met this week was Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This standard was met because newsletters allow me to communicate with families and students that are in my classroom.  This assignment also met the standard called Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  This standard was met because I was modeling technology and creativity by creating a newsletter for families to read.  Another standard met was Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.  This was met because I was learning how to use new technology that I could use in the future and help others learn to use the software too.

I definitely find this useful to know how to use for the future.  Newsletters were sent home to my parents when I was younger, and it helped them know what was going on in the classroom.  I think it would be important for me to send out newsletters to allow parents and children to get to know me before they come to my classroom.  Also, sending them throughout the school year can keep parents informed on what their kids are doing, and it sets up a way of communication between school and home.

Week 8 Reflection

This week I worked on making a Podcast.  I learned a lot about Audacity and making a podcast.  I learned how to record my voice and what I wanted to say.  I was taught how to bring in music files to add to the podcast.  In Audacity, I learned how to make effects to the sounds on the podcast.  After I was done recording everything, I was taught how to export the file into an mp3.  This week I also made a concept map.  I knew how to make concept maps, but I never made one one bubbl.us, so I learned how to use bubble.us.

The four ISTE standards met this week are Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, and Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.  Model Digital-Age Work and Learning was shown by communicating the information on the podcast because I am communicating work with a digital tool.  Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments was used because I had to take information I knew and convert them into a type of digital tool.  Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity was shown by using the concept map to show my thinking, planning, and creative process since I had to web my information.  Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership was shown by looking at podcasts and creating podcasts other could use.

I know that concept mapping will be a good thing to use in my classroom in the future.  It will help me organize units and what routes I could go. I could also make a concept web with the students to learn about something.  The podcast would also be useful to help students learn a topic.  I also think it would be fun to have students create podcasts on a topic.

Week 7 Reflection

One of the things I learned how to do this week was create rubrics.  I learned about a website called Rubistar that gives teachers templates to create rubrics for different topics.  I was able to set up the template and change around words to my liking.  I also learned how to create a rubric in Word by creating inserting a table then text to go in each box.  Another thing I worked on this week was looking tools to use in the classroom.  One tool I was able to use was Wordle.  It is a fun website to help design a word cloud based on text that someone creates.

One of the standards addressed this week was Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This standard was met because I learned how to use digital tools in the classroom.  Also Wordle helps to communicate ideas effectively because you are seeing important aspects of a text.  Another standard met was Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This standard is met because I learned how to create rubrics to help with assessment.

Both of these activities will be helpful in my future in the classroom.  The rubrics will be helpful in communication to students what is expected on a project in the classroom.  Also, it will help parents also know what is expected on an assignment.  The tools will be very helpful in the classroom because it allows me to find multiple ways of creating documents to help foster students in learning.  Also, they could use tools to show their knowledge.  I really enjoyed Wordle and could see me using it with a classroom in the future.

Week 6 Reflections

This week we learned how to create a movie in Windows Live Movie Maker and how to create a VoiceThread. I have used Movie Maker to create a project before, so I knew mostly how to use this software.  I put video clips in my last project, so I learned how to make a movie just by using pictures.  I also learned how to put music in the movie for this project.  I have never used VoiceThread before, so I learned a lot during this assignment.  I learned how to upload pictures in VoiceThread and move them around to create a presentation.  I also learned how to comment on the pictures on VoiceThread.  I also had to learn how to use the pen tool to circle and emphasize things in the pictures while commenting on them.

One of the standards met during this weeks assignments was Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This standard was met because I was using technology to help assist students success through the VoiceThread.  Also, I'm communication my ideas about Conceptual Core by making the movie in Movie Maker.  Another standard met was Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. This standard was met because digital tools were incorporated to help to students learn by using the VoiceThread.  A third standard that was met was Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  This standard was met because I had to reflect on what I thought Conceptual Core meant to me to create the movie in Movie Maker.  The last standard met was Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.  This standard was met because I'm learning about the new technologies to continually learn and create new things.

I think the VoiceThread would be a good activity for students to do, so they have an interactive model to watch.  Each student would be able to comment on their thoughts on each picture.  Also, Movie Maker would help students contribute to their understanding of information given in class.  They could make a brief movie based on a unit they have learned about and show it to the class.

Week 5 Reflections

This week I learned about how to create a movie in Picasa.  I have never used Picasa, so I learned a lot on that.  I learned how to edit photos using Picasa and Picnik.  I also learned how to put transitions on the slides and choose how long I wanted the slides to stay up on the page.  I learned how to put music in the presentation and how to put slides with texts in the slide.  We also learned about an evaluation for websites you want to use in class.  I learned things that should be on a website for it to appropriate to use in the classroom.

One of the ISTE standards I used during this week is Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This standard was met by using Picasa to tell my ideas and beliefs on diversity.  Another standard met was Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experience and Assessments.  This standard was met by using Picasa to show my creativity and learning on diversity.  The last standard met this week was Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  This standard was met because I had to reflect on what my belief of diversity is to create a movie using a technological tool.

I think that Picasa would be a fun thing to use in class.  The students could create a show about something they are studying in class.  I think it would also be a nice thing to create with pictures of students working on a project for parents to see.  I really think the evaluation is a good source to help determine whether or not to use a website in a classroom or for a WebQuest.

Week 4 Reflection

This week I learned about how to set up a WebQuest.  I never have done a WebQuest, that I can remember, so I learned a lot.  I had to learn how to set up the whole layout.  Along with that I had to learn how to set up each tab.  I also learned how to create a rubric to grade students by.  I learned how to write the activity in ways that the child would be able to understand, and I learned how to write it in ways that will help the teacher implement the activity.

One of the ISTE standards I met was Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This standard was met because I created a WebQuest to communicate to students information and ideas.  Another standard met was Faciliate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  This standard was met because students are using tools to find an understanding about rain forest animals that also involves them thinking, planning, and being creative.  The last standard met was Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility.  This standard was met because I made sure to cite all works that have been used that are not my own.

I think this would be a very useful tool in the classroom.  It will allow students to learn to work collaboratively.  Also, it would be a good supplementary activity to use while teaching a unit in the classroom.  I also think this would be great to have in the classroom because students are using a lot of different resources (computers, books) to pick out important information.  It will help students learn how to give a brief presentation as well, so I could imagine using this in the classroom.

Week 3 Reflection

I learned a lot on making a survey this week.  I learned how to create different types of questions on a survey.  I thought it was helpful how Google Survey calculated all the results of the survey.  When looking at the results of the survey, I learned how to turn it into a PDF.  I also was able to work on creating an informative presentation about the information I received and relate it to other research I've learned.  This was a really good assignment to do to learn how to take survey someone would get and turn it into a presentation that people could learn from.

One of the ISTE standards I met was Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This was met by using the information I received from others to create a presentation that others could learn from.  I also met the standard, Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  I did this by using technology to come up with a survey to learn more about real-world issues.  The last standard I met was Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This one was met by using my creativity to create a PowerPoint that went along with my findings.

I could use this in the classroom.  I think it would be interesting to see have students create a survey about a topic they are studying for peers and families to answer.  Then we could all get together to compare the results we received.  Also, I think it is important for students to be able to use PowerPoint, so I would make sure to incorporate presentations into the curriculum.  They could use their results to create a PowerPoint of the results to show to their families on the class website.